Backgrounders

The Maori of Ruapehu, Whanganui and Rangitikei named the area ‘Te Kahui Tupua’, the sacred peaks.

New Zealand salmon fishing, conditions, areas, best fishing and about New Zealand salmon.

New Zealand saltwater catches vary by location, from tuna and shark around Fiordland, to snapper and kingfish in the Marlborough Sounds.

New Zealand spas and health retreats with accommodation, contacts listing. Luxury hotels and lodges excluded, listed separately.

As you would expect from a nation infatuated with the game, New Zealand offers a range of unique experiences for all who share a passion for rugby.

The start of spring coincides with the beginning of the whitebait season on the West Coast. South Islanders and tourists flock to river entrances with nets to collect the translucent, thin inch-long whitebait.

Spring in New Zealand is a season of colour, new life, new harvests of food and wine and exciting arts and cultural events.

The Southern Alps glisten with fresh spring snow, and the buzz of enthusiastic spring skiers is unmistakable. Bigger than the Swiss, French and Austrian Alps combined, the Southern Alps stretch 2000 metres high across the South Island.

Thermal springs, resulting from New Zealand's location on the Pacific Rim of Fire, are found the length of the country including Rotorua, Taupo Te Aroha and Hanmer.

New Zealand is the homeland of a number of star Hollywood actors, including Russell Crowe, Sam Neill, Anna Paquin, Temuera Morrison and up-and-comer Cliff Curtis.